Internal-combustion engine with variable combustion chamber



Jan. 19, 1954 s. H. RING INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE WITH VARIABLE COMBUSTION CHAMBER 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug. 7. 1950 Jan. 19', 1954 s. H. RING 2,666,421

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE WITH VARIABLE COMBUSTION CHAMBER F'iled Aug. '7. 1950 4 sheets-sheet '2 Jan. 19, 1954 s. H. RxNG 2,666,421

- INTERNAL-coMBUsTIoN ENGINE WITH f n VARIABLE COMBUSTION'CHAMBER Filed Aug. 7,l 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jan. 19, 1954 5, H, RlNG 2,666,421

.INTERNALTCQMBUSTIQNENGINE WITH I VARIABLE CoMUsTIoN CHAMBER 4 Sheets-Sheenl 4 Filed Aug. 7, 195C .inzien-or Patented Jan. 19, 1954 UNITED vSTATES PATENT OFFICE IN TERNAL-OMBUSTION ENGINE WITH VARIABLE COMBUSTION CHAMBER Sidney H. Ring', Portland, Oreg.

Application August 7, 1950, Serial No. 178,135

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This invention relates to internal combustion engines with variable combustion chambers, and it has among its salient objects:

- To provide in connection with an internal combustion engine and its regular power cylinder, an auxiliary cylinder and piston, cooperatively associatedwith said power cylinder, and ycornmunicating therewith, with its piston operable to increase and diminish the size of the combustion chamber relative to said power cylinder;

To provide in connection with a power cylinder and its piston, anl auxiliary cylinder and piston, in lateral overlapping relationship at their adjacent ends, to provide communication between said power cylinder and said auxiliary cylinder atvthe overlapping parts of said adjacent ends of said cylinders; n y

To provide in connection with a power cylinder and an auxiliary cylinder, having their adjacent, or contiguous ends, in partial overlapping relationship, an intake control valve for said auxiliary cylinder and an exhaust control valve for said power cylinder, said control valves being positioned in the non-overlapping portions of saidcylinders, respectively; y

- To provide in an engine of the character rerferred to, in combination with the power cylinder thereof and the piston therein, an auxiliary cylinder in communication with said power cyl-V inder, the piston of said power cylinder, and the piston of said auxiliary cylinder being movable toward and from each other, along parallel axes, and in partial overlappingrelationship as they comeY together, whereby` to vform` a combustion chamber-between the adjacent ends of said cylin-L ders and between said pistons therein;

To provide yin combination with the power cylinder of a combustion engine and the piston therein, an auxiliary cylinder'having an open end adjacent an open end of said power cylinder and in partial lateral overlapping relationship therewith, with a piston in said auxiliary cylinder, movable toward and from the piston in said power cylinder, and with spring, cam and lever mechanisms for moving and controlling the movements of the piston in said auxiliary cylinder with relation tothe movements of the power piston in said power cylinder to vary lthe size of the combustion chamber therebetween;

Other objects'and advantages of the invention will appear from a more detailed descrip'- tion thereof, talrenV with the accompanying four sheets of drawings, which I will now describe:

Figure 1 is a vertical 'sectional' viewthrough an internal combustion engine embodying my inven- 2 Claims. (Cl. 12S-78) 2 tion, with the work piston and the auxiliary piston shown together, following a complete scavenging of the burnt gases from the cylinders;

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the two pistons at the opposite ends of their strokes, and when a fresh charge of fuel has been drawn into the cylinders, between saidpistons;

Figure 3 is a similar view showing the power piston in its upper position, with the auxiliary piston about to be moved downwardly, with `cornpression iorce, as its lifting mechanism-is released and its moving springs are permitted to function;

Figure 'i `is a fragmentary sectional view, on line dof Fig. 1, showing two power cylinders, with pistons therein, and also showing the auxiliary cylinders and their pistons in light broken lines, with parts in section; and Y Figure 5 is a fragmentary plan view, looking down from the line 5-5 on Fig. 1.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, two regular power cylinders are designated 6, 6, with theirpistons "I, 'I, therein, connected by piston rods 1, 'l' to crankst, 8, in a crank case, designated as a `whole 9. yThis mechanism can be of anyxdesired design or type. Y

The upper ends of said power cylinders 6, 6, are open.

Formed in the cylinder block or head, above said power cylinders, are two auxiliary cylinders designated I9, Iii, having parallel axes with the axes of said power cylinders, but laterally positioned, as shown in Figs.r` 1, 2 and 3, so as to be in partial overlapping relationship at their contiguous open ends, as clearly shown in said figures. An inlet control valve II is positioned in the non-overlapping end of each power cylinder, with its valve stem II extended down into the crank case 9, as here shown, to be intermittently raised by an operating-cam I2, as seen in Figs. l, 2 and 3. A coiled spring I3 on said valve stem il operates to normally hold said inlet valve closed. r

An exhaust valve control valve I4, is positioned at the opposite side, in the non-overlapping end of said auxiliary cylinder, with its valve stem I'Ii extended upwardly through bearing portions of the cylinder block, asat I5, and provided with a coiled spring I5 to normally hold it closed, in the manner clearly shown in said Figs. A.1, 2 and 3` Said exhaust valve is intermittently opened by means of a rocker arm II, bearing on the upper end of said valve stem I4', and having its Oppositeend Comiectedby gleansof a thrust 3 rod |8, to be operated by a cam |9, on the same shaft 20 with cam I2.

The mechanism so far described is generally known, except that the provision of an auxiliary cylinder and piston, in partial overlapping relationship at their contiguous ends is believed to be new.

Operable in said auxiliary cylinders I0, I0, are two pistons,` 2|; 2| each havigtwd 'spaced extensions, as' 2|', 2|', extended upwardly and provided at their upper ends with enlarged bearing portions, as 22, 22, to receive therein a short' shaft or pin 23, Fig. 4, and shown extended'- through said spaced extensions' 2T", 2T", s-si in section in Figs. l, 2 and 3.

As one means of lifting and lwrig said auxiliary pistons 2|, I have shown abellcrank 2k;

pivotally supported, as at 25, in parts 9' ofthe cylinder block frame, the housing beig ds--V ignated as a whole 9, arid having the end of its 'an extension to'e2'l ragainst `which'.hearsfa's'pr nfgi.

lowestzposition, the curved` bottom `or said loop,H

asw 'befciear'frinrigs.-rf,2aria l taxe manuela areas"berger-runners' are esuaiisemfwheeupoe tire 4 valve and an exhaust manifold is designated 45, at the opposite side of the cylinders, and includes the exhaust valve I4, as clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

I do not, of course, limit the invention to the details of construction and arrangement 'here shown for explanatory purposes, knowing that many changes in said details will probably be made. In'place of the salcylinder head, I have 'i'id'ly Ya' auxiliary yliiidr block or body, mounted on the regular cylinder block, as clear- 1y` indicated, with pistons operating therein to makepossibleivariable sizes of combustion chamliefs)l aoii'gt the positions of said auxiliary pistons, as before referred to.

Irithepe'ration of the invention, it will be understoodthatlthe lifting of the auxiliary piston 2 in the auxiliary cylinder I0, will be timed with; the operation of the power piston l, and that as the power piston 'I is moved downwardly on a fuel intake' s'trl'ce'A `said auxiliary piston 2| will also be moved upwardly byl thefcam' 29 and the bellcrank 24, thisffoirriing a lowy compression chainberbetwen `(said pistons and increasing the intalteof u'el.

Asfsaidf power pistii- 1 is moved* upwardly throughout 'the-compression stroke, the auxiliaryr piston 2| lrerniii'is stationary, thus keeping the impressione 'rnb-er instante-and the' compren well-b l'wv the vselfignitingpoint. duvet-"piston 1 pa-ssestopdead cen- It remains station;

26 again, the i'slaesv almost perft scavenging@ 'the cylindrsfasfit'raehes thftp. y l

have provifel 'what believe* to' be an entirelynew internal-b mbust n "engine-nwhch a" pwer eyirf and Aanaumhfiry cylinder, with' their pistons; pperablftnermg. 'in' suon syncli `nisn relative t' eacli' other, thatj'a variable combustion 'chamber nlfide pos's'ible, and also a' greatr'intak oielismade possible- Vby two pistons inoving apart Yduring the intake o tual, andu also agreater compression of yfuel is made possible by two pistonsr moving;` toward l' eachother, v`in-.the Vmanner described,- and rwfliile I I fhave shown and-described one practical yembodiment tion; (I. fdolnot' limiti the' invention' to g..niade= lfor fexpian tory-purposes, "ex-- mayfbei'ifrrfitedf-by tiieuinereto 'appned I claim:

1. In an internal combustion engine of the character referred to, the combination with the power cylinder and piston, auxiliary cylinder and piston, spark plug and valve means therefor, of spring means for operating said auxiliary piston on the compression stroke in cooperation with said power piston to compress the fuel charge between said pistons as they come together, said operating means including a spring-loaded connection with said auxiliary piston operating constantly to move it toward said power piston, cam-operated means for intermittently raising it against the tension of said spring and for releasing said auxiliary piston to leave it free for a compression stroke under the force of said spring.

2. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a power cylinder with power piston therein, an auxiliary cylinder in communication with said power cylinder, with auxiliary piston therein, with spark plug and valve means therefor, of a cam operated bellcrank for moving said auxiliary piston away from said power piston during an intake stroke of said power piston sufiiciently to form a low compression chamber when compression stroke is completed, and

means on said cam for allowing said auxiliary piston to be instantly released from its cam control, and a spring-loaded connection therewith to move it toward the power piston at the start of the power stroke, to supercompress a charge to a predetermined compression ratio.

SIDNEY H. RING.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re.18,595 Wilson Sept. 13, 1932 1,557,710 Lennon Oct. 20, 1925 1,574,062 Boehmer Feb. 23, 1926 1,574,574 Hale Feb. 23, 1926 1,654,701 Powell Jan. 3, 1928 1,816,402 Ruud July 28, 1931 1,819,897 Johnson Aug. 18, 1931 2,119,226 Ernst May 31, 1938 2,382,362 Weinreb Aug. 14, 1945 2,419,450 Howard Apr. 22, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 177,025 Switzerland Aug. 1, 1935 

